Japanese pitcher Hisanori Takahashi has come to terms with the New York Mets, reports ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick via Twitter.
As recently as last week, the Red Sox were believed to be contenders to sign the lefty, though they were only reported to have offered a minor league deal. The same could be said for the Dodgers, Padres and Orioles. Though no details have yet been released, the deal with the Mets is expected to reward Takahashi handsomely for making the majors. The New York Times reported Thursday that the deal will be worth $1 million if Takahashi makes the big league squad, with up to $2 million more in possible incentives.
Takahashi, 34, went 10-6 with a 2.94 ERA for the Yomiuri Giants last season. He announced in November that he planned to play in the majors, following in the footsteps of former teammates Hideki Matsui and Koji Uehara.
As the Times noted, the Mets have employed the most Japanese players in the majors since 1997, as Takahashi will become the 11th Japanese player to sign with the organization.
